A lot of people tell me they don’t like jazz. Whenever I ask why, they usually tell me the same thing: it’s too complicated. It’s just a bunch of self-obsessed musicians trying to cram as many notes into as little space as possible, flexing their musical skill and knowledge over the masses with high-handed ideas and insane execution.

 

Even if all these people are wrong, I can see where they’re coming from. The mistake they make is being exposed to the most complicated stuff first. It’s like learning to read; you wouldn’t give a first grader The Count of Monte Cristo and expect them to understand a single thing. You need a simpler access point to ease some people into jazz.

 

Now a lot of that stuff exists, but more is never a bad thing. To me, Something Today falls into that camp. It’s exactly what it says on the tin. Just a nice, pleasant album that goes down easy. Featuring NMC’s own adjunct audio tech instructor David Chown on the keyboard, John Richard Paul on bass, Ricke Kiehle on guitar, and Alex Wyant on drums.

 

The first track, “Something Today,” is a perfect example of what I mean: it opens with a laid-back saxophone line that feels comfortable, like a nice cup of coffee on a bad morning. It’s refreshing, and when the song breaks down into a slightly more uptempo keyboard solo, it’s exhilarating.

 

The song slowly builds upon itself, masterfully weaving new ideas into the mix bit by bit, until it feels like everything is happening at once, exactly what all those people have said to me they don’t like about jazz. But it’s paced so well, they won’t even realize it’s happening. And before they can realize the wool has been pulled over their eyes, and despite their best efforts, they’re starting to like this whole jazz thing, the song pulls back to the quiet sax and restrained drumbeat it started with. And no one was the wiser.

 

“Crawler” is another standout track for me, and a total trend-bucker. Instead of the smooth jazz fusion we’ve been expecting, this song draws just as much from rock and roll as it does from jazz and funk. Opening with a groovy bassline and driven by a singular syncopated groove, it snaps you out of your trance with a short burst of sound, and for just a moment, electric guitars wail in your ears. And as quickly as they appeared, they die down and just become another part of the ensemble. I’m also a massive sucker for organs, no matter the genre, so I can’t help but give this song

its flowers.

 

“NoRe” is a mellowed-out return to form for the album. We’ve had our fun rocking out, and it’s time to simmer down. Muted guitars and crooning saxophones take you through a guided meditation of melody. I’d like to highlight Chown’s gorgeous keyboard solo. It’s atmospheric and spine-chilling. I get lost in it every time I hear it. I never want it to end, and I’m always a little disappointed when it does. Even if the guitar solo right after is just as good, there’s just something special about Chown’s performance, I don’t know.

 

At just five songs, it’s a tight listen, if a bit short. All in all, a stellar project. I’ll be coming back to this one again and again. Even if you say you don’t like jazz, you should give this record a chance. It just might make a believer out of you.

 

Favorite Songs: “Something Today,” “Crawler,” “NoRe”

 

Least Favorite Songs: None of them